Archive for the ‘Study Abroad’ Category

With new tools providing greater understanding of the motives for student mobility and what drives students to seek out educational experiences abroad, international education professionals now have the unique opportunity to better anticipate where the next educational destination will be.

To help uncover what 2015 holds for the student travel market, NAFSA invited Atle Skalleberg, CEO of StudentUniverse, a technology company that empowers students and youth to travel, to share his company’s insight on what their data is telling them about trends to expect in the coming months.

What growth do you expect in the student travel market in 2015? What will be the largest driver fueling the growth?

Student travelers are critical stakeholders in the tourism industry and are sometimes overlooked as airlines focus on current business travelers. In reality, students make up 20 percent of all arrivals in the travel industry today. By 2020, more than 300 million student-related arrivals are expected, a number that will represent a quarter of total tourism. By the same time, 50 percent of all business travelers are expected to be millennials.

One of the key drivers fueling the growth of student travel is international specialty travel. Education travel leads the pack, and we see new markets coming online as well as continued growth from emerging markets such as China and Brazil. These students also travel a substantial amount within their destination country.

Earlier this week, I made the quick three-block trip from the NAFSA office to the White House for an energizing afternoon with government officials, media representatives, and travel bloggers. As an important driver of public opinion, the media have the ability to use their influential voices to educate readers about the importance of study abroad and encourage more U.S. students to engage in meaningful travel. This was the goal of the White House Summit on Study Abroad and Global Citizenship, to raise awareness of the benefits of cross-cultural education and cultural exchange, while boosting international student mobility across borders.

Study abroad is one of the best ways to provide students with the foreign language and cross-cultural skills necessary to compete and thrive in today’s global economy. Data from a recent MetLife survey show that 65 percent of Fortune 1000 executives identified global awareness as “very important” or “essential” in order to be ready for a career.

International experiences not only prepare students to succeed in careers, but also collectively strengthen our cultural diplomacy, national security, and the economy.

First, a disclaimer – I’m a lawyer, not a doctor, so the purpose of this blog post is not to provide medical advice, but to reference verifiable medical information and how it can be used to support your risk management strategies, as well as communication efforts, in managing a real or perceived health crisis.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever and I go way back. We first met in 1995 while I was a graduate student in Lusaka, Zambia. There was an outbreak of Ebola along our northern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire). Three hundred and fifteen people died in a village called Kikwit. It was big news, but I can’t really recall how. There were no cell phones, no Internet, and certainly no Twitter. E-mail existed, but access was sporadic and cumbersome. I think I learned everything I needed to know from CNN. I don’t remember being alarmed or afraid. I was right there – well, nearby – and I was not at all afraid.

That remained true for me even during the latest outbreak, which reached our shores but only in the most negligible way. And by negligible, I don’t mean to make light of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan or the transmission of the virus to four others, all of whom remain alive (the five others treated in the United States contracted the disease abroad, for a total of 10 cases). But compared to the tragedy playing out in West Africa – 5,165 dead with a fatality rate of 53-85 percent (depending on the source) – a more compassionate and less fearful reaction would’ve made more sense, particularly on campus.

Japan and South Korea hold top 10 spots for the number of students they have studying in the United States. However, when it comes to the number of U.S. students studying in Japan and South Korea, they take 14th and 23rd place respectively. As the United States increasingly turns its focus toward East Asia, how does international exchange affect the developing relationships?

The International Student Council (ISC) brought the Korea-American Student Conference (KASC) and the Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) earlier this month in Washington, DC, for a thoughtful conversation on “Fostering U.S. – Korea – Japan Partnership for the Future.” KASC and JASC are student-led academic and cultural exchange programs that provide a foundation for cultural sensitivity and global awareness.

Less than a year ago when I was fresh out of college starting my job search, I was disheartened by the lack of emphasis employers put on my study abroad experience. More often than not, my five months in Europe were discounted as a holiday or “social experiment” as opposed an educational endeavor, the experience overlooked in favor of GPA and the rigor of my courses. In a culture where “study abroad” evokes visions of EuroTrip, how do we help employers realize that students with international experience have the intercultural skills they are looking for in the modern, globalized workplace?

A new report published by the British Council, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Ipsos Public Affairs attempts to better understand how intercultural skills are considered, assessed, and developed. The research confirms that intercultural skills are pertinent to today’s global workplace, but perhaps more interesting is how the data exposes the value and meaning each country attaches to those skills.

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At a meeting in Germany recently, Secretary of State John Kerry was asked by a former exchange program participant to comment on why fewer Americans seek an exchange experience in Europe than Europeans do in America. Secretary Kerry said, “That’s a really good question…. I need to find out.” He referred to the importance that the Administration attaches to scholarships for study abroad, and he said more scholarships are needed.

Secretary Kerry is a strong supporter of international education. In 2001, then-Senator Kerry sponsored Senate Concurrent Resolution 7, calling for the establishment of an international education policy for the United States which would, among other things, strive to “significantly increase participation in study abroad and internships abroad,” and “promote greater diversity of locations, languages, and subjects” involved in study abroad. This resolution passed the Senate unanimously. It was the right policy then, and it’s the right policy now. Regrettably, the United States still has not articulated such a policy. So it’s important that Secretary Kerry know the answer to this question: Why has this objective of his resolution (not to mention the other objectives) not been accomplished—or even attempted?

New reports released on Tuesday reveal increases across the board in international education participation, a sign that higher education is recognizing and promoting the value of educational exchange. As the data show, the United States still has plenty of room for growth, and the benefits are numerous.

NAFSA’s annual economic impact analysis illustrates the financial impact that international students and their dependents have on the U.S. economy. During the 2011-2012 academic year, according to NAFSA’s calculations, these students contributed more than $21.81 billion through tuition, fees, and living expenses. You can explore various breakdowns of the data and discover the economic impact of international students by state, congressional district, and institution.

International students make more than financial contributions, however. “They bring incalculable academic value to U.S. colleges and universities, and cultural value to local communities as international enrollment grows,” said NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Marlene M. Johnson.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the award, and Martin Simon, son of the late Senator, attended the event and spoke of his father’s passion for international education. Simon closed his remarks by calling for continued support for international education and echoing his father’s words, “a nation cannot drift into greatness. We must dream and we must be willing to make small sacrifices to achieve those dreams.”

By Benjamin Hershey, 2011 Student Diplomat
Studying and traveling abroad can be a life-changing experience, just ask anyone who has been on a program overseas! My study abroad in the summer of 2011 took me to Germany to study adaptations to climate change through progressive city planning. My studies were anchored in Dresden, a modern model of exemplary city planning since its recovery from complete destruction during World War II.

While in Germany, I learned a great deal about the local culture, as well as about German city planning. The people I met while abroad were incredibly hospitable and helped me to become accustomed to my new environment. I believe that interacting with locals is the best way to gain a proper understanding of cultural differences while fostering lifelong friendships at the same time. The people I met during my program were without a doubt the best part of my experience, and they taught me amazing things about the city of Dresden.

The United Kingdom has long been well-known for its excellence in higher education. The universities of Cambridge and Oxford are world-class institutions that many nations, including the United States, have tried to emulate. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery—in terms of higher education in the United Kingdom, times are changing. Recent years have brought many changes to the higher education sector in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

Increasing tuition for both domestic and international students has been on the rise. This is quite a shift for UK students—in the past, pursuing a university education was largely subsidized by the government. With the increase of fees for international students, the UK sees more funding per student, which can help defray budget cuts that have been instituted due to the global economic downturn, but it can deter international students from coming to the UK due to the higher cost.

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About the Blog

On the NAFSA blog, the importance and impact of international education are in the spotlight. Join the conversation. Take action to support public policies that promote a better world through educational exchanges. Discuss innovative approaches to making the college experience more international. Read more